Gone in 4 games; Palace sacks De Boer

London (AFP) – Crystal Palace on Monday sacked manager Frank de Boer after a dismal start to the Premier League season that has seen them lose all four of their matches without scoring a single goal.

The south London club, languishing in 19th place in the league, have been strongly linked with a move to appoint former England boss Roy Hodgson to replace the departing Dutch manager.

“Crystal Palace Football Club have this morning parted company with Frank de Boer,” said a brief statement on the club’s website.

“We would like to thank Frank for his dedication and hard work during his time at the club.

“A new manager will be appointed in due course and we wish Frank the very best of luck for the future.”

De Boer, 47, whose four games in charge are the fewest ever for a Premier League manager, said in a brief post on his Instagram account that he regretted the decision.

“Very disappointed about the decision but never the less I want to thank the players, staff and the fans for their support. Good luck for the future,” he said.

Palace chairman Steve Parish on Sunday took to Twitter to rally fans around the team, without giving unequivocal backing to the former Ajax and Inter Milan boss.

In an exchange with supporters on social media following Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Burnley, Parish wrote: “People are frustrated, I’m frustrated, so are the management and players. We know we are better than this…”

Parish also wrote: “We are 4 games in, it’s a terrible start but we have to stick together.”

Palace have so far conceded seven goals in defeats to Huddersfield, Liverpool, Swansea and Burnley.

Their only win this season came against Ipswich Town in the second round of the League Cup last month.

De Boer said after the Burnley defeat at Turf Moor on Sunday: “I am just focusing on what I can control and so are my staff and my players.

“(The future) is for other people to decide but while I’m the manager of Crystal Palace I will give 100 percent.”

The Eagles are the first team to lose their first four top-flight matches without scoring a goal since Preston in the 1924-25 season.

De Boer had been at Selhurst Park for only 77 days after succeeding Sam Allardyce, and while that remains longer than the shortest term for any Premier League manager — Les Reed’s 40 days at Charlton — he oversaw two fewer games.